It is so very late and I am so very tired, however I couldn’t let this evening pass without looking back and having a heart full of thankfulness.  My Grandmother turns 90 years old on Monday and to celebrate, so much of the family came into town to honor a uniquely special woman.  All the brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, aunt, parents, cousin nephews (really my second cousins but they fit more into the nephew role) made the trip for the Grandmother of all Grandmothers.

There was a moment that I was able to sit back and enjoy all that was going on.  My heart is overflowing with gratitude for the abundant blessing that is my family.  A family that laughs together, makes good-hearted jokes, reconnects when years pass, puts on granny panties for the benefit of a good time.  Family that understands and knows the importance of this woman before us.  A family that comes together to celebrate, honor and love a woman who has touched each one of us.

I am thankful for this family.  For a brother that opens his heart and reveals the beauty and love within, for a cousin that chooses family over work, for a sister that encourages me to keep going (and listens patiently as all my insecurities come tumbling out), for a dad willing to do the grunt work, for a niece with a sweet spirit, for a cousin that brings sunshine wherever she goes and reminds me I have always wanted to be like her, for a nephew that plays hours with my daughter and fills my heart to overflowing with their laughter, for another nephew that sneaks upstairs with my daughter to play with our dog.  Each and every member brings a beauty that becomes our family.  I am thankful for this family; each and every member.  I could continue on about each member, I want to, however then I would not be able to share what I wanted to share, pictures of Grandma throughout her life.

These are just a few that were shared today as we celebrated this wonderful, special, beautiful {both inside and out} woman of God!!

7 years old

Grandma is the young girl on the left

to me she looks a lot like Shirley Temple

Grandma’s high school senior picture

Gramps & Grandma were married 57 years before Gramps passed away

Grandma as she just became a mom {pictured w/her mom whom I’m named after & her husband, Gramps}

that is one good lookin’ family

one of my favorite pictures of them, there is something about the way they are kissing that tells me they are deeply, passionately, madly in love!

Gramps always has the best smile {he is just too handsome} and Grandma is rockin’ some neat glasses & hair

when we all lived in the islands, and yes, ALL 7 of us rode in that jeep

everything about this makes me think Gramps is saying, “Hey Babe, let’s swing!!”